Composition of matter



Patented Nov. 27, 1934 COMPOSITION OF MATTER W lliam Henry Moss, London;

to Uelanese Corporation tion-ornelamre No Drawing; Original a Serial No. 550,808,

plication June 16, 1932 9 claims.

This invention, which has been divided out of U. S. application '8. No. 550,808, filed 14th July, 1931, relates to the production of compositions 5 of matter and more particularly to coating or impregnating compositions which yield flexible films on "evaporationpf the solvent.

The use ofcellulose esters in the production of compositions for coating and impregnating compositions is well known The film left by these compositions is however usually fairly rigid and if subjected to any considerable bending or to repeated flexing is liable to crack, or to flake from the surface to which it is. attached. The inborporation of relatively low proportions of plasticizers in the sfilms improves to some extent their suppleness but the films even 'then do 'not appreach the flexibility'desired for many purposes. I have "found that in 'order to attain avery high degree of flexibility itis necessary to incorporate high proportions of plasticizer, for example proportions of over 100% andespeciall'y prop'o'rtions of 150 to 200 to 250% based'on the'cellulose ester in the films. However many cases plasticizers are liable to bloom out when employed in large proportions owing to -lack of compatibility with the other constituents "of the film. Other plasticizers cause the film to remain sticky on evaporation of the solvent. Still others are slightly volatile and although the film may be supple when first made, yet in the course of time it becomes brittle once more. The difficulties are greatly enhanced if the film is likely to be exposed to temperatures above the normal. Plasticizers have therefore been sought which combine qualities of a high degree of compatibility with other ingredients of cellulose ester lacquers or coating compositions, with lack of volatility, and will permit the production of surfaces which are not sticky, and which preferably retain these qualities when the surfaces in which they are present are exposed to temperatures up to for example 100 C.

It has now been found that plasticizers possessing these qualities include the tartrate ester plasticizers, for example dibutyl tartrate and amyl tartrate, (i. e. di-isoamyl tartrate). Compositions of matter containing cellulose esters and more than 100% of these plasticizers based on the cellulose ester present, and preferably between 150 and 250%, are eminently adapted for the production of flexible materials or for coating flexible materials, e. g. in coating wires, for coating or impregnating fabrics which are required to remain flexible, for example the sheathes of Bowden cables, and other flexible tubular structures, 5 for artificial leather, and for water-proofing England, assignor of America, a corporate piilication July 14, 1981; Divided and this apserial N0. 617,610. In,

eat Britain August 28, $1930 arge number of other purposes.

Examples of cellulose esters which may be employed conjunction with "the high proportion of plasticizer are cellulose acetate, cellulose Torinate, cellulose propi'ona'te, or other organic ester of-cellulose. The cellulose ester and plasticizer may. be dissolved separately in a volatile solvent and the two solutions-mixed, or they may be dissolved in thesame solvent. Examples of volatile solvents which may be employed are acetone, alcohol benzene, methyl ethyl ketone, ethylene dichloride or mixtures of these, while the methyl ether ofethylene glycol'fdiacetone alcohol and ethyl lactate are "examples or medium and high boiling solvents'whic'h may be employed.

Natural or synthetic resins may also be included in the composition to improve the strength, and, especially where the composition is to be used ton-coating v purposes, to improve adhesion. Among synthetic resins suitable for this purpose are those obtainable by the condensation of phenolswith aldehydes or'ketones, diphenylol propane-formaldehyde resins, furfural-ketone, furfural amine, phenol-furfural resins, resins obtainableby thecondensation of o aldehydic or ketonic substances with aromatic amino or aryl sul-phonamide or N -a1kyl substituted a'ryl sulphonainide compounds, resins obtainable by the condensation ofureaor 'thiourea with aldehydes or aldehydes and phenols, lactic acid 85 resins, sulphurized phenol resins, resins obtainable by the polymerization of aldehydes or of vinyl compounds, and the resins obtainable by the condensation of phthalic anhydride or other 5% dibasic acid anhydride or acid with polyhydric alcohols such for example as glycerol.

It is not essential that only one plasticizer should be employed, thus for example the plasticizer of high compatibility employed in accordance with this invention may be replaced in part by a plasticizer of lesser compatibility. Thus for example triphenyl phosphate, tricresyl phosphate, diphenylol propane, triacetin and diethyl phthalate may also be used but it is im- 11 portant that the quantities employed of these plasticizers should not be so great as to cause the composition to take on the disadvantages enumerated at the beginning of the specification. Any other desired ingredients may be in- 105 corporated, for example where coloured effects are required dyes and/or pigments may be added, or fire retardants, for example the tribrom acetanilides.

The following examples are intended to illus- 110 fabrics and for al Methyl acetone 500 Ezcample 2 Parts Cellulose acetate 100 Dibutyl tartrate 200 Tricresyl phosphate 20 Acetone ,500 Alcohol l .4 250 Benzene 250 Example 3 a a Parts Cellulose propionate; 100 Amyl tartrate 180 Acetone 800 Example 4 Parts Cellulose acetate 100 trate the present invention, but it is to be understood they are in no way limitative:

Acetone 500 Synthetic resin, e. g. 'diphenylol propane formaldehyderesinl 35 Dibutyl tartrate; l 200 Tricresyl phosphate 20 Acetone 500 Dioxane j 100 Methyl ether of ethylene glycol 50 Ethyl lactate -4... 20

WhatI claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: I

1. Coating and impregnating compositions comprising a cellulose ester and more than 100 parts of a tartrate ester plasticizer per 100 parts of cellulose'ester. the said cellulose ester constituting the major proportion of the solid constituents of the composition;

2. Coating and impregnating compositions comprising a cellulose ester and more than 150 parts of a tartrate ester plasticizer per 100 parts of cellulose ester, the said cellulose ester constituting the major proportion of the solid constituents of the composition.

3. Coating and impregnating compositions comprising a cellulose ester and. between 170 to 220 parts of a tartrate ester plasticizer per 100 parts of cellulose ester, the said cellulose ester constituting the major proportion of the solid constituents of the composition.

4. Coating and impregnating compositions comprising a cellulose ester and more than 100 parts of a tartrate ester plasticizer per 100 parts of cellulose ester together with a plasticizer of another type, the said cellulose ester constituting the major proportion of the solid constituents of the composition.

5. Coating and" impregnating compositions comprising cellulose-acetate and more than 100 parts of atartrate ester plasticizer per 100 parts of cellulose acetate, the said cellulose acetate constituting the major proportion of the solid constituents of the composition.

6. Coating and impregnating compositions comprising cellulose acetate and more than 100 parts of a plasticizer. selected from the group consisting of dibutyltartrate and amyl tartrate per 100 parts ofcellulose acetate,-the said cellulose acetate constituting the major proportion of the solid constituents of the composition.

7. Coating and impregnating compositions comprising celluloseacetate' and more than 150 parts ofamyltartrate per 100 parts of cellulose acetate, the said cellulose acetate constituting the major proportion of the solid constituents of the composition. I

.8. Coating and impregnating compositions comprising a cellulose ester and more than 150 parts of a tartrate ester plasticizer per 100 parts of cellulose ester and containing in addition a resin, the said cellulose ester constituting the major proportion of the solid constituents of the Elli) 

